Cigarette weight controller



1966 G. GAMBERINI 3,277,897

CIGARETTE WEIGHT CONTROLLER Filed Aug. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q i 3 K0 74% V INVENTOR.

GDFFREDO GAMBERINI BY 1966 G. GAMBERINI CIGARETTE WEIGHT CONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 0% Q mm mm E E v 9; m GE 9 l. (0 SN now mm SI, s Km 0 Q a R m a m @K m )VhnYf l/4Q mm \\\\\.va \\\h\\\ Wm 0/ W NM xi mg N. -w a r 8 E 1 .\,,.\\I$ Nmw T MN JMWT WJ 7 0% Q 0 m p Q N OE INVENTOR. GOFFREDO GAMBERINI United States Patent 3,277,897 CllGARETTlE WEIGHT QONTRQLLER Gottredo Gamberini, Bologna, Italy, assignor to American Machine dz Foundry Company, a corporation of New llersey Filed Aug. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 304,8iii (,lainis priority, application Italy, Aug. 31, 1962, Patent 674,593 Claims. (Cl. fill-22) The present invention relates to cigarette making machines equipped with a tobacco suction wheel. In particular, the present invention is directed to the construction of a suction wheel for conveying tobacco enabling the formation of a continuous cord of tobacco of uni form cross section and density.

The use and general construction of suction wheel transfer devices are of common knowledge. Briefly, such devices comprise a wheel having a peripheral groove open to the air for carrying tobacco and through which suction is applied to hold the tobacco as well as to compact the same, forming a rough tobacco stream or cord. The stream is then, by usual means, transferred to the rod forming belt and wrapped into a cigarette.

According to the present invention, the weight of the finished cigarettes may be regulated by varying the cross section of the peripheral groove of the suction wheel so as to provide a stream of predetermined weight per unit length. Such regulation may also be used in combination with levelling means to trim the tobacco to a predetermined depth.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross section of the peripheral groove of the tobacco pressing wheel is varied by changing the width of the groove either manually or automatically in response to an increase or decrease in the unit weight of the cigarettes produced.

The present invention provides a suction wheel, whose peripheral groove is defined on at least one side by a movable and axially adjustable edge so as to vary the width and hence the cross section of the peripheral groove of the tobacco pressing wheel. The tobacco pressing wheel preferably cooperates with any suitable means for levelling the layer of tobacco adhering to the suction wheel and for example a smoothing wheel having pegs, bristles, or the like. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the levelling means, for example the smoothing wheel may be adjusted relative to the tobacco pressing suction wheel, but is maintained in a fixed position during the operation of the machine.

The axial displacement of the edge or edges of the peripheral groove of the tobacco pressing suction wheel is eiiected during the rotation of the suction wheel by means of a suitable mechanism controlled by any regulating device which is responsive to the mean weight of the ciga rettes produced.

These and other characteristics of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom will become evident from the following description of a preferred form of construction, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the annexed drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically, in side elevation, with parts in section, a tobacco pressing suction wheel according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial section of the tobacco pressing wheel with the mechanism for the displacement of one of the edges 'of the peripheral groove of the Wheel;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail of FIG. 2 on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section along line 55 of FIG. 2.

Patented Get. 11, 1966 "ice With reference to the figures, the endless belt 1 collects a shower of selected cut tobacco directed onto a belt through the hopper 2. Below the collecting belt 1 is the rod forming line 4. The rod forming line 4 comprises a conveyor belt 5 on which there is superposed the paper strip 6. Along the belt 5 are arranged a series of devices, not shown, but Well understood in the art, employed in the formation of the cigarette rod and for severance oi the rod into individual cigarettes.

The tobacco suction wheel 3 is disposed between the belt 1 and the rod former 4. The wheel 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow F1. The wheel has a peripheral groove of which the bottom is permeable to air and, for example, perforated and through which suction is applied from the interior. The cut tobacco conveyed by collecting belt 1 is projected from the belt onto the periphery of the tobacco pressing suction wheel 3, filling the peripheral groove of the wheel. The tobacco is held and packed into the groove by the suction which is applied through the bottom of the groove. The packing of the groove is in part effected by two flexible blades 7 and 8 which exert a mechanical compression on the tobacco in the groove. As a result of this, a continuous cord of tobacco uniformly packed is formed in the peripheral groove of wheel 3. This cord is then deposited by the wheel on the paper strip 6 of the cigarette rod forming mechanism 4.

Coacting with the suction wheel 3 is a smoothing wheel 9 which may, for example, be of the peg, bristle, or any other suitable type. The smoothing wheel 9 levels the layer of tobacco adhering to wheel 3, thus smoothing the tobacco cord which is formed on wheel 3. The smoothing Wheel 9 is mounted on a support 10. The support 10 is pivotably movable toward and away from the wheel 3. In this manner the smoothing wheel 9 can be adjusted relative to the tobacco pressing wheel 3 in any desired position. For example, the wheel 9 may be disposed in position flush with the edges of the peripheral groove of wheel 3 so as to remove the tobacco projecting above the groove. The tobacco removed by smoothing wheel 9 is collected in a compartment 11 formed in the lower portion of the mechanism supporting the wheel 9. The tobacco which falls into compartment 11 is Withdrawn from the compartment by suction through suction tube 12 and is returned to the central source of tobacco supply, not shown, for the hoppers such as 2.

For further details of the mechanism described in the foregoing, reference may be had to my patent application Serial No. 170.765 filed Februarv 2, 1962 now matured into Patent No. 3,173,424 dated March 16, 1965.

In accordance with the present invention, the wheel 3 is provided with arrangements which make it possible to vary the cross section of its peripheral groove, and in particular to vary the width of the groove. The cross section or width of the groove may be varied manually and/or automatically, to regulate the weight of the ciga rettes produced by the machine, that is, to compensate the difference between the predetermined weight of the cigarettes and the mean actual weight of the cigarettes which are produced in the mechanism.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the suction wheel 3 is cup shaped or bell shaped and its hub 103 is keyed onto the tubular shaft 13. The shaft 13 is driven by means of endless screw 25 and helicoidal wheel 26. Wheel 3 is provided with a cylindrical rim 203 which is, as mentioned in the foregoing, permeable to air, for example by means of perforations. The open side of the bell shaped wheel 3 is made tight by a fixed disc 14, while the cavity of wheel 3, is maintained under vacuum through corresponding ducts 15 in fixed disc 14 and in the adjacent part of the machine frame 16.

The cavity of wheel 3 is further provided with a shoe or shutter 17 fastened to disc 14. Shutter 17 prevents the application of suction over the major portion of the right-hand half of wheel 3 as shown in FIG. 1, thus providing the wheel 3 with active and inactive sectors. The perforations on the active sector of the peripheral rim 203 and-the wheel 3 are left open as it rotates. The active sector extends in the direction of arrow F1 from the upper part of wheel 3, preferably from an intermediate point between the highest point of the wheel and the end of collecting belt 1 to about the point of tangency between wheel 3 and the rod forming mechanism 4 through which strong suction is exerted. Referring to FIG. l, a small space 18 located at about the right-hand end of the horizontal diameter of the shutter 17 is provided. This space communicates with the exterior of the mechanism through duct 19 and air is drawn through it and thence through a cavity in a projection 20 which communicates through a duct 21 with an aspirator. In this manner a stream of air is projected through the peripheral rim 203 of wheel 3 from the interior through the rim 203 which cleans it of particles of tobacco which may have adhered to the rim after passing the rod forming line 4.

The perforated rim 203 constitutes the bottom of the peripheral groove of suction wheel 3. The groove is formed by two rings or edges 22, 23 applied peripherally on wheel 3 and axially spaced one from another. In the example shown, ring 22 is fixed on Wthl 3 while ring 23 which rot-ates together with wheel 3 is axially displaceable thereon for the purpose of varying the width of the peripheral groove and hence the area of its cross section. The displaceable ring 23 is integral with a flange 24. The hub 124 of flange 24 is integral with flange 24 and is mounted so it is slidable axially on shaft 13 and is coupled for rotation with hub 103 of wheel 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the hub 124 on flange 24, carrying ring 23 has two opposed flattened surfaces and is slidably inserted between two opposed flattened axial projections 303 from the hub 103 of wheel 3. A knob 27 is screwed onto hub 124 on flange 24. The knob 27 is coupled for rotation with the end of shaft 13 by means of a keyed engagement 28 which permits knob 27 to shift axially in relation to shaft 13 without becoming disengaged therefrom. It should be evident therefore that the assembly consisting of ring 23, disc 24, its hub 124 and knob 27 is rotatable with shaft 13 and therefore rotates together with the tobacco pressing suction wheel 3 and is slidable axially in relation thereto.

Knob 27 is :adjustably mounted on a rod 29, which is lodged for axial sliding in tubular shaft 13 with which it is coupled for rotation through knob 27. Rod 29 projects from the opposite end of shaft 13 and is screwed into a sleeve 30 which is rotatably mounted in a bell shaped projection 31. The bell is keyed on the end of shaft 13. A sleeve 30 is coupled for rotation at 32 to shaft 33 of an electric motor 34 of the reversible type. Stator 134 of motor 34 is secured to hell 31 so that the entire motor rotates together with shaft 13. Current is supplied to motor 34 through contact rings 35. A collar 36 is slidably mounted on the hub of hell 31. Collar 36 is provided with peripheral fiuting and a number of lugs 136. As shown in FIG. 4, there may be three lugs 136 for instance which extend axially toward sleeve 30 through corresponding slots 131 formed in the body of hell 31. Lugs 136 are internally threaded cylindrical sectors and by means of them collar 36 is screwed externally onto an extension 130 of sleeve 30. A bent lower portion of a lever arm engages in the peripheral fluting of collar 36. The lever arm is secured for limited rotation about a pin 237 secured to the machine frame and points to a graduated scale 38 secured to frame element.

The cigarette making machine is provided with automatic devices such as that shown in US, 3,146,344 dated June 2, 1964 or U.S. 2,729,213 dated Jan. 3, 1956 which control the weight of the manufactured cigarettes. These devices may be of any suitable type as indicated by the weigher shown in FIG. 1, and are well known in the art. When the mean weight of the manufactured cigarettes is within the permitted tolerances no current is delivered to motor 34 and the entire assembly described in the foregoing with the exception of the index rotates together with shaft 13 and therefore with the wheel 3 without any relative movement between the various rotating parts. When, however, the devices which control the weight of the cigarettes establish that the difference between the mean weight of the manufactured cigarette and the predetermined weight exceeds the permissible tolerance, current is delivered to motor 34 and the motor is rotated in one or the other direction depending upon whether or not the variation indicates that the cigarettes are lighter or heavier than desired. This establishes relative rotation between motor shaft 33 and motor stator 134. As a result of this, sleeve 30 is moved to the right or left, as seen in FIG. 2, relative to shaft 13 and rod 29 is screwed in one direction or the other in or out of sleeve 30 and shifts axially in either direction inside tubular shaft 13 as indicated by double arrow F2. Rod 29 slides knob 27 which is integral with rod 29 in or out and therefore shifts ring 23, which is integral with the knob, axially. This increases or decreases the width and hence the area of the cross section of the peripheral groove of wheel 3. As a result of this, the quanity of tobacco contained in the groove and the weight per unit length of the cord of tobacco formed in the groove is increased or decreased, thus correcting the weight of the cigarettes. In the example shown, if the cigarettes produced are too light, the rod 29 slides out, that is to the right, as seen in FIG, 2. This displaces the ring 23 also to the right widening the peripheral groove. When, however, the cigarettes are too heavy, the rod 29 and the ring 23 shift inwardly, that is to the left, as seen in FIG. 2. This reduces the width of the peripheral groove of wheel 3. The driving of the motor 34 and the consequent displacement of the ring 23 continue until the mean weight of the manufactured cigarette agrees with the predetermined value. Then the weight controlling devices cut the current to motor 34, stopping ring 23 in the adjusted position. Ring 23 can be shifted and adjusted also by hand. This may be done initially for example by loosening screws 39 and 42 to release knob 47 from its control rod 29. The disengaged knob 27 may then be rotated in the desired direction.

The rotation of sleeve 30, because of its screw engagement -136 with collar 36 also slides collar 36 on the hub of bell 31. Collar 36 oscillates the index and the index indicates a position relative on graduated scale 38 which indicates the area of the cross section or the width of the peripheral groove of wheel 3. The graduated scale 38 obviously may be calibrated in other values. For example, it can be arranged to indicate the weight of the cigarettes.

Two micro-switches 40, 41 limit the movement of the index and cut the current to the motor 34 When the area of the cross section or width of the peripheral groove reaches predetermined maximum and minimum values.

Attention is called to the fact that in the embodiment described in the foregoing, the regulation of the weight of the cigarettes is effected by varying only the cross sectional area or width of the peripheral groove of the wheel 3 While the smoothing wheel 9 which cooperates with wheel 3 does not contribute to the regulation of the weight of the cigarettes and remains in the initially adjusted position. The function of wheel 9 is solely to smooth the tobacco cord.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the form of construction described in the foregoing and illustrated in the associated drawings. The invention can be widely varied and modified, especially structurally and can be applied to cigarette making machines having tobacco pressing suction wheels of any kind and of any construction without departing from the inventive principle set forth hereinbefore.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette manufacturing machine, a suction wheel, having a hollow central shaft defining its central axis and a peripheral groove permeable to air for conveying tobacco through which suction is applied from the interior of said wheel, said peripheral groove having at least one side defined by an annular edge, an annular flange element, said annular edge being carried by said flange element, a supporting element integral and rotatable with said suction wheel, said flange element being mounted on said support element and axially slidable thereon relative to said wheel, means for detecting variations in the weight of cigarettes produced by said machine and for creating a signal indicative thereof, motor means responsive to said signal, and means coupling said flange element to said motor means thereby to shift said annular edge axially of said Wheel so as to vary the width of said peripheral groove in response to said signal.

2. The machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a control rod mounted within the hollow central shaft of said wheel.

3. A cigarette machine in accordance with claim 2, having a knob fastened to said control rod and to said flange element, said knob being rotatable with said shaft and axially slidable thereon.

4. A cigarette machine having a tobacco suction Wheel in accordance with claim 2, and having a knob fastened to said control rod and to said flange element, said knob being rotatable with said shaft and axially slidable thereon and in which said shaft has an enlarged hollow extension and a sleeve rotatably mounted therein, and the end of said rod opposite from said knob is screwed into said sleeve, and a coupling for coupling said sleeve to said motor, a stator on said motor fastened to said extension.

5. A cigarette machine having a tobacco suction wheel in accordance with claim 2, having a knob fastened to said control rod and to said flange element, said knob being rotatable with said shaft and axially slidable thereon, said shaft having an enlarged hollow extension and a sleeve rotatably mounted within said extension, the end of said rod opposite from said knob being screwed into said sleeve, a coupling for coupling said sleeve to the motor, a stator on said motor fastened to said hollow extension, a collar, said collar being slidably mounted on said shaft, means for sliding said collar axially on said shaft, a graduated scale, an indicating needle coacting with said scale, said collar being coupled with said needle to indicate the position of said collar on said shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,947 9/ 1880 Allison 131-84 548,686 10/1895 Williams 131--84 1,811,759 6/1931 Molins 13l-22 2,660,178 11/1953 Rault 131-84 2,928,521 5/1960 Lanore. 3,045,681 7/1962 Richter. 3,059,650 10/ 1962 Gamberini. 3,130,733 4/1964 Martin 13121 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,235,245 5/1960 France.

255,193 12/1912 Germany.

87,041 11/ 1920 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

1. IN A CIGARETTE MANUFACTURING MACHINE, A SUCTION WHEEL, HAVING A HOLLOW CENTRAL SHAFT DEFINING ITS CENTRAL AXIS AND A PERIPHERAL GROOVE PERMEABLE TO AIR FOR CONVEYING TOBACCO THROUGH WHICH SUCTION IS APPLIED FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID WHEEL, SAID PERIPHERAL GROOVE HAVING AT LEAST ONE SIDE DEFINED BY AN ANNULAR EDGE, AN ANNULAR FLANGE ELEMENT, SAID ANNULAR EDGE BEING CARRIED BY SAID FLANGE ELEMENT, A SUPPORTING ELEMENT INTEGRAL AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID SUCTION WHEEL, SAID FLANGE ELEMENT BEING MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT AND AXIALLY SLIDABLE THEREON RELATIVE TO SAID WHEEL, MEANS FOR DETECTING VARIATIONS IN THE WEIGHT OF CIGARETTES PRODUCED BY SAID MACHINE AND FOR CREATING A SIGNAL INDICATIVE THEREOF, MOTOR MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNAL, AND MEANS COUPLING SAID FLANGE ELEMENT TO SAID MOTOR MEANS THEREBY TO SHIFT SAID ANNULAR EDGE AXIALLY OF SAID WHEEL SO AS TO VARY THE WIDTH OF SAID PERIPHERAL GROOVE IN RESPONSE TO SAID SIGNAL. 